Combined containers



United States Patent F 3,343,746 COMBINED CONTAINERS Seymour B. Shilfman, 50 Dolphin Drive, Treasure Island, Fla. 33740 Filed Nowlz, 1964, Ser. No. 410,672 1 Claim. (Cl. 22951) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention includes cup-shaped containers of the same size or diameter, with the edges connected by adhesive tape, and with tear-cords between adjoining edges, and thumb and finger gripping rings at the ends of the cords; whereby by pulling the cords and tearing the tapes two of the containers are separated so that a container of vanilla ice cream may be given to one person and a similar carton of chocolate or strawberry ice cream to another.

The present invention relates to combined containers wherein one container, as an example, containing vanilla ice-cream is secured to another similar container containing chocolate icre-crearn by adhesive tape or perforated walls and wherein by removing or cutting the adhesive tape or tearing the perforated walls the container having vanilla ice-cream therein may be removed and given to a person desiring vanilla ice-cream and the other container given to a person desiring chocolate ice-cream.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an assembly of containers temporarily secured together so that a container may be removed and given to one person and another removed and given to a different person.

Various types of stacked containers or containers temporarily held together have been provided, however, it has been found diflicult to separate such containers without damaging or destroying the containers, or spilling products therein.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a plurality of containers temporarily held together by adhesive tape, or perforated walls in which any one of the containers may be separated or removed, or may be readily replaced in the assembly.

The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide means for temporarily combining containers so that the containers may be separated and also returned to the combination.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of nested or combined containers wherein each container may hold a different product.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a plurality of nested containers in which the containers are held together by adhesive tape or the like, wherein the tape may be removed and replaced to reassemble the containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of combined containers in which the containers may be of different lengths.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container assembly in which containers may be removed and replaced in which the assembly is of simple and economical construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawing and claim, the scope of the invention not being limited to the design shown in the drawing as the drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating a method by which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural Patented Sept. 26, 1967 changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a plurality of combined or stacked containers in which the containers are temporarily secured together by adhesive tape, and wherein walls between the containers are perforated.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing a plurality of combined containers held together by adhesive tape with parts broken away illustrating connections between the containers.

FIGURE 2 is a view showing a portion of a strip of adhesive tape with the tape partly separated by a cord or strand of material.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that shown in FIG- URE 2, showing a modification wherein the adhesive tape is perforated and provided with a pull-tab.

FIGURE 4 is also a view showing containers secured together by adhesive tape illustrating a further modification wherein the tape is provided with a pull-tab.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 showing a modification wherein an assembly of containers, having a continuous wall, with spaced annular rows of perforations in the wall, are illustrated, and whereby individual containers may be removed from the assembly by tearing the rows of perforations.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawing, it is to be understood that it is merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claim. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention is remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawing, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout and in which the numeral 10 indicates a cylindrical container body, the lower edge 11 of which is secured to the upper edge 12 of a container 13 below by a strip of adhesive tape 14, and the tape 14 is provided with a strand or cord 15, an extended end 16 of which, may be pulled outwardly, as shown in FIGURE 2, to separate the upper portion 17 of the tape from the lower portion 18 thereof, thereby separating the container 10 from the container 13. The end of the strand or cord 15 may be provided with a ring or grip 19 to facilitate tearing the tape 14 in separating the containers.

The combined containers are provided with a cover 20 having a flange 21, and the flange 21 nests in an annular recess 22 in the upper edge of a container below whereby outer surfaces of the containers may be smooth or aligned, as shown in FIGURE 1.

The lower edges of the containers may also be provided with depending flanges 23 similar to the flanges 21 of the cover, and upper edges thereof may be provided with annular recesses similar to the recesses 22, to receive the flange of the cover, or container below. The recesses, however, may be omitted and the flange of the cover fitted snugly over the outer surfaces of the containers.

The adhesive tape 24, shown in FIGURE 3, is provided with perforations 25 and 26, and the intermediate part of the tape is provided with pull-tabs 27 to facilitate separating the tape and also containers to which the adhesive tape is attached.

In FIGURE 4 the adhesive tape 28 is provided with a slit 29 and a pull-tab 30 extending from one side of the slit may be pulled outwardly to separate the tape and sections of the containers.

In the design shown in FIGURE 5, a tubular container 50 is illustrated, and the container may be divided into individual, or small containers by tearing the wall on perforated lines 51 and 52, leaving a strip 53, that may be separated by pulling outwardly on a tab 54. By this means the container may be separated into an upper section 55 and a lower section 56, and a cover 57 may be used on either section. The cover 57 may also be used on the lower end of the upper section, making it possible to divide the container into as many units as may be desired.

In use the assembled containers may be filled or partly filled with the same or different products, and by tearing the adhesive tape 14 or perforations the upper container 10 may be removed, or should the contents of container 13 be desired, the adhesive tape, indicated by the numeral 31 may also be torn or removed, the container 13 removed, and the container 10 replaced and secured to the container 32 below by using a fresh or new adhesive tape, similar to the tape 14.

Cartons, paper, cardboard, foil, plastic, and the like, of varying sizes, pints, quarts, and the like, can be divided in sections, such as halves, quarters, and the like, by means such as perforations, tab-zipper, tapes, stringpulls and other means of separating the sections.

The cartons should have straight sides so that the carton top or cover could fit the portion that remains after the top portion is emptied and disposed of. These cartons will save space in freezers and refrigerators or cabinets depending on the product used. There will never be half empty cartons because the empty half cartons are thrown away.

The combined cartons should be especially good for the dairy industry such as promotion of ice-cream. Contents can be separated at perforated, zipper, stringpull, and the like, by treated paper, or waxed material, or foil, plastic-coated, and the like, so that there will be two parts. In doing this two different flavors or products can be sold in the same carton. Wooden or plastic spoons may be placed in between the treated paper and the ice-cream or other products so that the ice-cream may be eaten on the spot, Without using bowls or other receptacles and silverware.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a container constructed in accordance with this invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and used, and it will also be obvious that the invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason it is not desired to be limited to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out the invention in practice except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

In a Container assembly, the combination which comprises:

(a) a plurality of containers, open at the top and having closed lower ends, said containers having annular recesses in outer surfaces and positioned at upper ends thereof, end surfaces of the containers being in abutting relation,

(b) an endless tape with an adhesive coated inner surface positioned with the edges in overlapping relation with end surfaces of the containers,

(c) a tear string positioned against the inner surface of said strip of adhesive material,

(d) and a ring secured in the outer end of said string to facilitate pulling the string outwardly to tear the tape at the upper edge of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,643 11/1901 Megloughlin. 1,006,087 10/1911 Hertzberg. 1,570,682 1/1926 Kling. 1,815,800 7/1931 Respess. 1,896,400 2/ 1933 Gaseltine. 2,120,629 6/ 1938 Schunemann. 2,310,420 2/1943 Graham 22097 2,502,635 4/1950 Swartz. 2,802,614 8/1957 Gelin. 2,852,179 9/1958 Bieler. 3,124,246 3/1964 Remer et al.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

